Quote:
Originally Posted by Brandy4
Ah! but I also remember, and miss, the gorgeous Spring, Summer and Fall in beautiful New England - a far cry from the oppressive heat in sunny Florida.
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Florida summers extend for many months and are very humid and hot. Most folks essentially spend their summers indoors in air conditioned environments during the day and of course drive air conditioned vehicles between air conditioned structures. Some well-fixed long term Central Floridians whom I have met escape the long hot and humid summers by traveling "up north" somewhere cooler for a good chunk of the summer much as snowbirds escape their rough winters in Florida.
Central Florida experiences relatively short but cold winters as freezes do occur. Winter in Central Florida is rarely bikini weather much of the time! Of course the Tampa to Orlando stretch of Central Florida lies in the infamous lightning belt which ranks region #3 in the world for lightning strikes. Heavy road congestion in season, sink holes, love bugs, actually all kinds of bugs, hence the need for "birdcages" over pools and patios and the need for the extensive use of pesticides, hurricanes and tornados add to the situation.
It seems to me older folks such as myself do not tolerate cold easily (I never liked it) and don't want to deal with shoveling snow, driving in it or slipping, sliding and falling on ice. Hence they are motivated if not driven to escape it by moving to a climate offering a more hospitable winter.
Also for many retirees escaping high cost of living, high tax states runs a close second to escaping long dreary winters.
IMHO many of the thousands of retirees moving to Florida daily are weather, high cost of living and and high taxes refugees. They are moving "from" rather than "to".